A LANDLORD whose Cowley house was struck by a flood more than six months ago has said he is still waiting for compensation.

Paul Pearce was with wife Wendy in their Spanish home when they heard their property in Normandy Crescent had been flooded after a water main running behind the street burst on September 23 last year. It was also flooded in 2007 after a similar burst main.

Grandfather-of-five Mr Pearce said since the flood he has had to fork out £13,000 and is yet to be fully reimbursed by Thames Water.

Driver Mr Pearce said: “We just want the money we are owed and just get on with our lives.”

Mr Pearce said he first flew over from Spain on September 27 last year, after the flood hit the four tenants in his property.

Since then, he said he has had to pay for travel fares, car hire and replacing damaged household goods.

He said the water company paid him £8,000 last October to carry out repairs to the property but said it still has not reimbursed him for the other expenses.

He said he was forced to live in the upstairs of his flood-ravaged house for almost three months while renovation work took place.

He said he was given a food allowance of £10 a day, which he said is yet to be reimbursed by the water company, and relied on just a microwave, kettle and takeaways.

On December 22, Mr Pearce returned to Spain, two days after his tenants – who spent almost three months switching between hotels – moved back into the house.

He said his health has deteriorated over the past six months, with his GP diagnosing him with high blood pressure, causing his driver’s license to be suspended.

The driver of 38 years said his money troubles were also worrying his wife as he suffered two heart attacks about 12 years ago.

Mr Pearce added: “I’m quite worried myself. I lay in bed at night and I can actually feel my heart pumping away.”

He said he has been offered £360 compensation by Thames Water but has been told he cannot receive any further compensation.

Mr Pearce added: “It’s an insult. I feel very let down and annoyed.

“The consensus is that people are being treated worse this time than they were the first time. There’s no way we can go through it again.”

Thames Water spokesman Stuart White said: “Our main priority since the burst has been to get peoples’ lives back to normal as quickly as possible, including settling all insurance claims.

“We have been in regular contact with Mr Pearce and already paid out a proportionate amount to cover the cost of the damage to his property.

Oxford Mail:

The burst water main floods in the street last September

“This additional sum relates to another element of his claim, with talks on-going. Several offers have been made to Mr Pearce to settle all claims, including those from his tenants, and we hope to reach a final agreement quickly.”

Thames Water told residents in February work to replace about 2km of the 24-inch cast iron pipe should be completed by December, at a cost of £6m.

Fifteen houses and eight flats in the street were flooded, with another 27 houses cut off from the water supply.

Barbara Greenwood, 80, and husband Ernest, 87, were among the first people to return home last month after almost five months of living in hotels.